Sheer full-fashioned stocking



Dec. 12, 1944. I v F, LAN 2,364,636

' SHEER FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING v Filed Aug. 26, 1940 2 sheets-shed 1 r HI 35 1 a o l I I I l I }l l ill W 40 l W W \lll f l '22 Z Z41 V )1 J 23 Z 6 6" 21 I 36 -I-I I mmummlltg \{l 1 ff 1 INVENT OR.

G. F. LANG SHEER FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING -.-.;g. 26 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,364,836 snnnn FULL-FASHIONED s'rooxmo George F. Lang, Jenkintown, Pa. Application August 26, 1940, Serial No. 354,209

2 Claims. ci. 2-240) The object of the present invention is a fulliength, sheer silk, full-fashioned women's which may be more conveniently gripped and held by the ends of the garters or hose supports, with aminiinum oi strainonthehose and with a maximum protection for the fine threads-and knitted texture of the hose i'abrlc against runs and tears and strains from the supporting members. Q

with the above and other objects in view which will appear more fully from the followingfdescription and accompanying drawings. the present invention consists oi. a full-fashioned full-- ing members permanently attached thereto without any cutting oi sewing oi the elastic; and to which fasteners the ends of the garter may be detachably secured by means of corresponding fastening members carried by the garter ends.

The present invention iurther consists of other i'urther novel features and details or construction all of which will more 1 appear in the following description and accompanying drawings and appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention,

there are shown in the accompanying drawings iorms thereof which are at present preferred, since the same have been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and organizationsoi the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a stocking embodying the present invention shown in actual use.

Figure 2 represents a fragmentary perspective view, one. somewhat enlarged scale, or the upper part of the stocking in which tlge single-ply upper welt. is made of heavier yarn than the main le portion 2|.

Figure 3 represents a fragmentary view, in elevation, oi the detail of the construction shown annually at I in Figure 2, but shown on a larger scale. Figure 4 represents a vertical cross-sectional view along the line 4-4 01 Figure 3, showing the snap-fastener female member carried by the stocking and a snap-fastener male member carried by a garter end.

Figure 5 represents a vertical cross-sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 4 but in which the two parts making up the snap-fastener female member are dis-assembled, and with the elastic band intermediate the two.

Figure 6 represents a perspective view of n snap-fastener male member oi similar construe.- tion to that of the female member shown in Figures 4 ands; the parts ,being dis-assembled.

Figure 7 represents-a more or less schematic view, partly in section and partly in elevation of- Figure t represents a more or less schematic fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation of the top portion of a stocking similar to that shown in Figure l, but in which both the top and the bottom edges oi the elastic band are stitched to the top single-ply welt, either by imitting, looping or by sewing. I

Figure 9 represents a more or less schematic View similar to'that cl Figure 8 but in which the stocking is made up of a main leg portion, on

upper angle-ply welt, an upper double-ply welt upper double-ply welt, an upper single-ply welt and a top band of relatively elastic material.

Figure 11 represents a more or less schematic view similar to that of Figure 8 but in which the '4 stocking is made up of a main leg portion, an

50 the stocking is made up of a main leg portion,

an upper single-ply welt and a tively elastic material. 7 a

In one of its embodiments (shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4) the iullfashion'ed sheer. hose of the top band of rela- 56 present invention includes a foot portion 20 and annular band 23 of relatively elastic and relatively more durable material, more or less in tegrally connected with said welt portion 22 preferably by knitting a terminal course or intermediate course of knitted stitches 39 directly through the edge of the elastic band, or by looping or by separately sewing the elastic band 23 to the knitted fabric.

The welt portion 22 may be of single-ply welt construction 24 as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 12. The welt portion 22 may also be of doubleply welt construction 25 as shown in Figure 11. The welt portion 22 may also be formed of a combination of single-ply 24 and double-ply 25 constructions as shown in Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10.

The elastic band 23 may be connected along the upper periphery 26 of the welt portion 22 as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12 or along a. line 21 somewhat below said upper periphery 26, as shown in Figure 7 or along both lines 28 and 21 as shown in Figure 8. If attached along line 21, the band 23 may be placed inside or outside thewelt portion 22.

The band 23 is formed wholly or in part of relatively elastic thread to give circumferential elasticity or both circumferential and transverse elasticity. The elasticity of the band 23 may be derived from the incorporation therein of rubber or other rubber-like strands or filaments, or by certain elastic knitting or braiding formations, or by both.

Thus, the band 23 may be formed of a series of parallel strands of rubber or of rubber-like material extending circumferentially around the upper part of the stocking, which elastic strands are held together transversely by cotton, silk, nylon, rayon or like textile threads intertwined or interlaced therewith by weaving, braiding,

or knitting. By knitting the elastic strands .40

into the loops of the knitted textile threads 9. measure of transverse elasticity may also be incorporatedinto the band 23. The strands of rubber or rubber-like material may be covered with a spiral wrapping of cotton, silk, rayon, nylon or the like. The spacing between the rubber strands is such as to permit the prongs of the metallic fastener to pass between the rubber strands without cutting them or piercing them.

The elastic band 23 carries, permanently united therewith, one or more circumferentially distributed snap-fastener female members 28 or male members 32; these members being held to the band 23 without any hole out through the band and without any sewing to the band as would tend to weaken and lessen the life of the band.

These snap-fastener members include an engaging unit and a backing or afl'lxing unit.

A female engaging unit 28 consists of a central socket 38 and an annular, inwardly-enlarged, peripheral channel 3|.

A male engaging unit 33 consists of a central button or knob .34 and an annular, inwardlyenlarged, peripheral channel 3| similar to that on the female engaging unit 28.

A backing orfafflxing unit is which can be used with' either the male 33 or the'female 23 2,864,636 a leg portion 2|, a welt portion 22 and an upper,

of the fabric and the backing unit 35 is placed on the other side of said fabric with the prongs 31 extending inwardly. When the two units are pressed together, the prongs 38 of the backing unit 35, pierce the fabric, by passing between the threads or fibres thereof, without tearing, cutting or otherwise injuring said fabric (merely pushing the threads apart from each other); and, having passed through the fabric, are bent and anchored into position within the annular channel 3| of the 'engaging unit 28 or 33.

The female member 28 on the stocking can be attached to a corresponding male member 38 on a garter 48 in the usual manner, the knob of the male member 38 entering and being detachably held within the socket 38 of the female member'28.

The snap-fastener construction shown and described herein. is for purposes of illustration only, it being understood that other appropriate snap-fasteners can be used as well; without cutting or weakening the band 23'however.

As shown in Figure 3, the band 23 is connected to the leg 2| or welt portion 22 preferably by knitting a course of stitches 33 of the welt portion 22 (or of the stocking-leg portion 2|) directly through the fabric of the band 23.

The welt portion 22 may be formed with the design 4| for purposes of ornamentation, as for instance by a drop-stitch along the pattern line shown.

The wait portion 22 may also be knitted of slightly heavier yarn than that of the leg portion as shown in Figure 2.-

The band 23 may be attached directly to the leg portion 2| of the stockingwithout any intervening welt portion. Thus the portion 22 in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 12 may be merely a singleply of the same weight or thickness as the leg portion 2| and hence, in effect, merely leg fabric.

By reason of the fact that the fastener-carrying band 23 is relatively more firm and more form-retaining than the stocking (either the leg portion or thewelt portion), and by reason of the fact that the fastener-carrying band 23 extends continuously around the outer periphery of the stocking (instead of being interrupted or instead of being fragmentary), the pull of the garter-ends at one, two, three or four points along the band 23 is transmitted to the stocking with a more uniform'distribution around the circumother specific forms without departing from the engaging unit, consists of a flattened, annular 7 ring 38 having a plurality of thin, bent prongs 31 extending from the inner periphery of said annular ring 38, as shown in Figures 5 and 8.

In the affixing of the members, the male 33 or female 29 engaging unit is placed onv one side.

spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended clalms rather than to' the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is hereby claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: v v 1. A sheer stocking comprising a foot, a knitted leg portionyan annular and freely flexible elastic strain-distributing :band' more or less continu-- aseaeso ously connected with the top of the leg portion generally throughout its circumference and adapted to hug the leg or the wearer lightly, one or more quickly attachable and detachable generally flush coupling members permanently afiixed to said strain-distributing band without weakening said band. said coupling being adapted to receive and to engage a complementary coupling member carried by a pendant garter member, said band not having sui'llcient grip on the thigh oi the wearer to support the top or the stocking on the thigh oi the wearer. and serving to distribute the strain oi the garter member.

2. A sheer stocking comorising a foot portion, a sheer leg portion, an annular strain-distributing band or relatively heavier and more durable fabric disposed about the upper periphery of said leg portion and more or less continuously connected therewith, said strain-distributing band having substantial annular elasticity and being transversely relatively inelastic, and a plurality of snap-fastener members circumferenti'aliy disposed about and carried by said annular straindistributing band. said snap-fastener members comprising an enga in unit and a backing unit disposed generally on opposite sides of the annular band, said backing unit having relatively thin tapered deformable prongs extending through said strain-distributing band whose strands are being'transversely spread apart to accommodate the prongs, said band not having suflicient grip on the thigh oi the wearer to support the top of bers.

GEORGE F LANG. 

